As part of the supplier’s First Class Computing programme, the Switched On Computing material is
available free, in partnership with educational publisher Rising Stars, and is designed to ensure
primary school teachers who have never taught computer science before have the necessary skills and
confidence to deliver the new curriculum in the next nine months.

The Switched On Computing materials have been compiled by teachers and tested to develop
computer science skills in children as young as five. The material is divided into separate units
for each year group from one to six, aiming to develop logical thinking and problem-solving
skills.

Microsoft has pledged to help 160,000 non-specialist UK primary schools prepare for the new
curriculum. The company will also be launching a series of training roadshows in the coming
months.

Steve Beswick, senior director of Education at Microsoft UK, said: “We welcomed the news of the
new computing curriculum alongside others in the industry because it is absolutely critical for the
future success of our young people. The challenge now is to ensure that primary teachers are
equipped to deliver it by September.”

“That’s why we are launching our First Class Computing programme now, which, through new
materials, teacher training, and our ongoing work with the education community, can help a new
generation of teachers inspire young people.”

Microsoft’s First Class Computing programme is part of the supplier’s long-term ambition to
ensure every UK school leaver is computer literate, as well as 80% of all jobs that require
computer science knowledge to be filled by a UK graduate by 2025.

Andrea Carr, managing director at Rising Stars, said: “The arrival of the new national
curriculum brings fresh challenges for primary schools, particularly in the area of computer
science.”

“We think these free resources are exactly what teachers need to get started with computing. The
projects are creative, easy to run and include plenty of hand holding for teachers.

Claire Lotriet, ICT coordinator at Henwick Primary School in Greenwich, said: “Primary teachers
have less than a year to get to grips with the new computing curriculum. This will entail learning
new concepts, such as algorithms, which can be tricky to explain to some adults, let alone a five
year old child. That’s why simplified, adaptable and engaging materials are so useful to get our
hands on now before that all-important first lesson of the term.”

Xbox 360 for schools

On a mission to increase computational thinking and games development in young people, Microsoft
has also unveiled a low-cost offer for Xbox 360s to schools with a DreamSpark subscription.

DreamSpark is designed to provide students with tools to create applications and games for
Microsoft Xbox, Windows Phone and Windows 8. Through professional developer software it equips
teachers with software provisioning and lesson plans.

The Xbox in Education offer includes a three-year DreamSpark Standard subscription for students
who are studying computer science.

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